Chennai: If the dengue and viral fever cases were not enough, the officials of the health department are now also battling scrub typhus (a mite-borne disease).
The disease caught attention after three cases were detected at the Institute of Mental Health during a special screening. Screening of all inmates was done after four inmates who were admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital died recently.
According to a senior health official, from January 45 scrub typhus cases were reported in Chennai and around 1,400 cases were reported across the State.
"It is an undifferentiated febrile illness. High grade fever, body pain and eschar at the site of the bite are common symptoms. It even affects the central nervous system and cause encephalitis, eventually leads to multi-organ failure and death," an official said.
"During screening, the official detected three cases and they were given antibiotics, which led to recovery. We have bushes around, so the cases have been reported. All precautions were taken and patients are doing well," said P Poorna Chandrika, Director, Institute of Mental Health.
Though the official detected typhoid cases also, Poorna said those were mild infections. However, officials have launched a detailed investigation to find out if there is any common cause for deaths as scrub typhus cases were also reported.
Meanwhile, a senior doctor at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital said," Everyday one or two patients from IMH are being admitted. But they are chronically ill with co-morbid conditions. Though a few cases have been admitted with fever, still we have not come to any conclusion on common cause. We are still investigating. Some had seizures, two patients had renal problems and another had congenital problem."
What is scrub typhus
Scrub typhus is a disease caused by Orientia Tsutsugamushi bacteria and it is spread to people through bites of infected larval mites. It is treated with antibiotic doxycycline. The mites are mainly found in grassy fields, shruby areas, forests, abandoned rice fields and cleared forests, officials said.